Fuel-supply system for automobiles.



A. WINTON. FUEL SUPBLY SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1901.

1,095,763. Patented May 5, 1914.

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WI! Pally? G ut rated Q A. WINTON'. FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR AUTO MOBILES.

. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3 Patented May 5, 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQ-E.

ALEXANDER "WINTON, OF CLEVELAND. OHIO.

FUEL-SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914.

Original application filed November 10, 1904, Serial No. 232,167. Divided and this application filed June 3,1907. Serial No. 377,032.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER WIN ON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Supply Systems for Automobiles,'of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in fuel supply systems for automobiles, and is a division of my application filed November 10th,1904, Ser. no. 232,167.

The object of this invention is to provide a system of supplying the gasolene or fuel to the point where it is mixed'with air, and which involves a main supply vessel which is located in a plane below the point where it is mixed with the air, and to lift this gasolene from the main or low down tank to an intermediate tank located in a plane above the point where the gasolene finally passes out and is mixed with the air, and to provide automatic means for maintaining a uniform head or supply of gasolene irrespective of the amount of gasolene in the main or supply low-down tank or vessel, and to further provide an automatic means for maintaining a level or head of gasolene between the said high-up tank or vessel and the gasolene outlet, which also automatically prevents the gasolcne from flowing from the high-up tank when the engine is at rest.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a side view showing the relative levels-of the parts embodying the present invention. Fig. 2, is an enlarged cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side View of the invention, showing it in position on an automobile.

In carrying out my invention, a large main or supply reservoir or tank 1 is provided, and is located in a plane below the plane in which the carburetor 2 is located and an auxiliary gasolene tank or chamber 3 is located in a planeabove the carburetor. As here shown, the auxiliary tank or chamber 3 is a part of a tank 4:,in which tank there is also a lubricating oil chamber 5, and an air chamber 6.. The division walls 1 between the chambers 3, 5 and 6' are indicated bythe dotted lines 5 and 6'. t This A suitableair pump 7 is operatively connected in any desired, manner with the motor (not here shown). Only a portion of the -air pump cylinder is here illustrated, and its connection with, the engine is also not illustrated, for the -reason that they are not essential to a full understanding of the present improvement. Any desired form of air pump may be used, and this air pump is connected with the upper portion of the main supply tank 1 through the medium of a pipe 8, and supplies a pressure of air to the top of the tank, and a'constant pressure upon thegasolene contained therein, Preferably, a pressure-reducing valve 9 of any suitable construction, is located in the communicationS between the pump and the res ervoir 1 for the purpose of maintaining substantially a uniform pressure in the tank 1. The air pressure in this tank 1 forces the gasolene through a pipe l0 which has its lower end communicating with the bottom of the tank to the auxiliary tank 3 with which the upper end of the pipe communicates. I preferably place a small chamber 11 between the pipe 10 and the auxiliary tank 3, and this chamber is provided with a suitable valve 12 through which gasolene may be drawn for any desired purpose.

This chamber 11 communicates with a pas-- sage-way 14 made in a casting '15 which is connected to the top of the auxiliary tank 3, and this passage 141: communicates with the. tank 3 through an opening 20. Located in an enlarged portion 17 of the said-passage,

is a suitable valve stem 18 carrying a valve 19 adapted to close the opening 20. This valve and its stem are operated in relation to the opening 20 through the medium of an intermediately-pivoted lever 21 which is actuated by a float 22 movable vertically upon a guide or rod 23. Pressure having been created in the main tank 1, gasolene is forced through the pipe 10 to the passageway 14, and when it reaches a predetermined levelin the auxiliary tank 3, the valve 19 will close the opening 20 and cut off the supply of gasol'ene to the tank 3. In this way the gasolene is maintained at a predetermined level in the tank 3. Gasolene then flows by gravity from the tank 3 through a pipe 24- to a float chamber 2', and from the float chamber 2 through a passage and from this passage 25 the gasolene passes through an opening 27 where it is mixed with the air in the carbureter 2 and passes from the carbureter through the pipes at to the cylinders of the engine. The flow of the gasolene through the opening 27 is controlled by a suitable valve 25) which is locked in position by a lock-nut 30. It, for any reason. it should be desired to cut oil the flow of gasolene independently of the automatically-acting float in the chamber 2, it an be accomplished through a valve having an operating wheel 33 located at the inner side of the dash-l; oard 32 of the vehicle.

Located at the upper end of the chamber ll is a screening member 57 consisting of one or more layers of tibrous material,

through which the gasolene is forced before it enters the auxiliary chamber 3, thus preventing the entrance of any foreign matter into the said chamber, and also preventing: any foreign matter from interfering with the proper operation of the valve 19 in the closingipot the opening 90.

The foregoing system oi. supplying a fuel to explosive engines of motor-driven vehicles, is found to have many advantages in practical operation. It enables the supply tank to be placed outside of the body of the vehicle in a low down position, and without: occupying any body space, and at the same time maintains a gravity llow of the gasolene with a predetermined head, which is essential to the proper operation or" a carburetor, and in addition, the fioatcontrolle.d chamber located between the high-up tank and the gasolene outlet to the carbureter, automatically controls the flow of the gasolene; and also automatically cuts oil the flow of gasolcne and prevents the draining oi the intermediate tank, so that there is always a supply of gasolene in the intermediatetank for the starting up of the engine, after which the pressure is created in'the lowdown tank to supply gasolene therefrom to the high-up tank. It is necessary to have the gasolcne which is supplied to the lloat controlled carburetor to be supplied thereto under a uniform head in order that the float crud-rolled carburcler may properly act, and it is also necessary that some automatic means he provided between the hie-harp tank and the gasolenc outlet to the carbureler, and this is provided in my improved system through the medium of the tloat-controllcd chamber 2 into which the ,Q'asolene flows from the high-up tank before it reaches the outlet 21 to the carhurcterv lt isalso tound necessary for proper operation that the air pressure in the low-down tank must not exceed the closing force of the float 22, for otherwise the valve 19 would be forced open against the closing effect of the float 22 and cause the gasolene to be forced in a continuous stream through the tank 3 and through the float-controlled. chamber 2'. This may be accomplished in several Ways, but the preferred way is by means of the pressureregulating device 9.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pateat, is I- l. A fuel supply system for automobile engines, comprising a low-down supply tank, an auxiliary tank in a plane thereabove, an air-pump operated by the engine and having communication with the low-down tank to supply air pressure thereto, a carburetor in 'a plane between the low-down tank and the auxiliary tank a fluid communication between the lowdown tank and the auxiliary tank, a positively operating cut-ofi' in said coummuication and maintaining a fluid level in the auxiliary tank, a communication between the auxiliary tank and the carbureter, said communication having means for maintaining a. fluid level in respect to the carburetor, whereby in an automobile the supply tank may be located low down and outside of the body of the car for the convenience in filling, and the auxiliary tank located above the engine to have a supply of fluid. fuel for the "engine irrespective of grades and unvariablc lluid head on the car: 1

hureter irrespective of the level of the fluid in the supply chamber and the grade of the roads, all combined substantially as described.

A. fuel system for automobile engines, comprising a fluid supply'tank locatedoutside of the body of the vehicle, a high-up auxiliary tank having a fluid communication with the low-down tank, a carburetor lorated in a plane l'ictween the two tanks, :1 float controlled chamber located between the high-up tank and thccarl'mrcter to maintain a predetermined level of tluid in'respect to the carburcter, a positively acting cut-off in the communication between the high-up tank and the lowdown tank to maintain a predetermined level of fluid in the high-up tank, and an air pump operated by the engine and conn cted to the low-down tank to supply air-pressure to force the lluid from the lowdown to the highaIp tank, Stlbfw'l'filb tially as and for the purposiset forth.

3. A fuel supply system for automobile engines, comprising a arbiu'ctcr, a low down supply tank in a plane below the car buretcr, an auxiliary tank in a plane above the carluireter, an air pump connected with and operated by the engine, a communication between the air pump and said low down tank, an air pressure regulator in the communication controlling" the pressure in the low down tank, means positively and automatically cutting; off the flow from the low down tank to the auxiliary tank at a predetermined period in the filling of the latter tank, :1 gravity feed communication between the auxiliary tank and the gasolene outlet of the earbureter, and a float-controlled chamber in said gravity feed commuin presence of two Witnesses.

- ALEXANDER WINTON.

\Vitnesses O. F. BAUGHMAN, A. S. NEWTON. 

